The Burned Over District and The Friend

The Yates County History Center will host a lecture, “The Burned Over District and The Friend,” by Executive Director Tricia Noel at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 16 at the L. Caroline Underwood Museum in Penn Yan.

The burned-over district refers to the western and central regions of New York State in the early 19th century, where religious revivals and the formation of new religious movements of the Second Great Awakening including the Society of the Friend – Jemima Wilkinson, took place. The term was coined in 1876 by Charles Finney, who felt that the area had been so heavily evangelized as to have no “fuel” (unconverted population) left over to “burn” (convert).

Tickets for this event are $5 for History Center members and $10 for non-members. The Underwood Museum is located at 107 Chapel St. in Penn Yan.

The June 16 event is one of hundreds of activities going on at museums and historic sites throughout New York State during Path Through History Weekend, June 16 and 17 which is organized by New York’s “I Love NY” campaign. You can find out more at www.paththroughhistory.iloveny.com